After many years, I watched this film again a couple of days ago. It continues to be a touching and great women's story. Whenever it came to my mind, I remembered Sally Field's performance as Shelby's mother, M'Lynn, always giving love and support to her daughter even against her will and mother's feelings. All actresses were great, but my favourite charater will be always Sally Field's.

This could be the "chick flick" to end all chick flicks, but the wonderful cast of ladies raises this other wise superficial and brisk moving story to a higher level. The film follows the lives of six women for about a four year period. We don't really see as many layers as the film makers would like us to believe, it is essentially a bunch of hens flapping their wings and doing "girl things". This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because these girls are captivating and they can act even if a lot of this seems a bit stagey! There are also several powerful scenes in this film.

The men in this movie are mere pawns and are there only to move the film along to it's predicable and manipulative ending. 'Your gonna cry so help me!', but between all the gossip and the drama, it's got some great performances and that is the reason for my 4 star rating. Take it easy on my ladies, it's a good movie, but it's not great.

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. The flavor of the South is so enjoyable (one of my favorite scenes is the dancing at Shelby's wedding), and the cast is superb. Thought I'd better get the dvd before my tape wears out from being played over and over.

I love the scene's from the south and I just think that the accent that Dolly has is so cute. This movie is a good example of true friendship. The "girls" have fun together, laugh and cry together. It's hard to find a friend that will stick with you when you are ugly and this movie just is such a great example of that.

Besides "Gone With the Wind", this movie is my favorite of all-time. What a cast! Dolly Parton, Sally Field, and Julia Roberts are outstanding in their acting abilities. Dolly Parton brings so much warmth to her role, I truly felt like she was my Southern mother. I loved seeing the Southern culture and all of its traditions (the armadillo groom's cake was hilarious) depicted in such splendor. I also liked the emphasis on friendship and how very important friendship is to surviving with the harshest trials of life. The importance of friendship is essentially the underlying theme of the movie. Just as "Gone With the Wind" shows how Scarlett O'Hara could survive any obstacle that comes her way, this movie shows how to handle the hardest life situation...death. Although the mood of the movie becomes somber, the ending really gives the viewer a real "feel good" feeling. I highly recommend this movie to those who love being immersed in the Southern culture and for those who simply want to watch an excellent movie.

One of the most heart-wrenching movies that shoes the true power of love and friendship. "Shelby, open your eyes!"

I enjoyed the banter between the gals just as much as the other reviewers here. This the four stars.

BUT...stop and think: In my gut I believe the director was trying to portray Julia Robert's character as sympathetic/tragic.

The real tragedy was the fallout as a result of a selfish decision to go againt common sense and medical advice and have a baby.

So, at the end of the film, despite all the pretty flowers and softly filmed sunshine in the park we've got the following: a young man who is now a widower, a family devistated by their unnecessary loss (despite BEGGING her not to get pregnant), and a child who has no mommy.

Remember, this was all the result of her choices. Chillingly, this is a real life story.

Now THAT brings a tear to my eye!

If you have not seen "Steel Magnolia" at least once, this is a movie to add to your list. Not only jamm packed w/ wonderful stars, but has a wonderful story line. I did not know till years later, that this story, was the story of the Directors Sister. What a wonderful tribute. Watch out for the ending. It is a garanteed tear jerker. Curl up on the couch w/ this one and enjoy!!

Love this movie! A "chick flick" is you need to label it...but awsome movie!!

Widely regarded as a "chick flick" I love this move- and I'm a "real" "regular" guy, married, and drinks his fair share of beer with the guys. I think that there are more memorable lines in this film than any others that come to mind. (How could you not like "I love you more than my luggage?") Great characters and great dialog. A genuine keeper.

Bought this as a gift for my mother. A geat timeless movie. Arrived quickly.

If female bonding had an anthem, it would be played to the tune of Steel Magnolias. I don't care if you have a heart made of steel, I defy you not to cry when you watch this film. It's the story of different generations of Southern women in Louisiana. Julia Roberts plays Shelby, arguably the main character, who is getting married when the film starts. Her mother, Melynn, only wants the best for her daughter and since Shelby has diabetes wants to ensure that her daughter doesn't lose her life for a family. This is truly a movie for women and it has something for everyone. When you're in the mood for a little female bonding, put in Steel Magnolias. But make sure you have some tissue handy.

I absolutely love this movie. It has everything a movie should have...memorable characters, comedy, drama, romance, etc. It brings out almost every emotion. I highly recommend this movie to anyone. Be prepared to cry at the end though, Sally Field gave an excellent performance.

Steel Magnolias starring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukais, and Daryl Hannah is such a moving and beautiful film to say the least. Every one of these ladies reach absolute perfection in their perspective roles. I would get a box of tissues because this film is a real tearjerker, Julia Roberts captivates your heart as Shelby, a young wife with diabetes who wants to have a child. Her mother is afraid that her fragile body won't be able to take such a huge responsilbilty. If you want a great Southern Belle film then Steel Magnolias is the one to watch. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Tear Jerker! Sally Field never fails to deliver a phenomenal performance! The cast of actors worked well together. The movie left you wanting more.

Never fails... as many times that I have watched this movie, I always cry at some point. The friendship these ladies share and the southern ambiance is great!

Steel Magnolias is one of my very favorite movies. I am replacing my VHS tapes with DVDs and it was one of the first ones I replaced. I love the special edition DVD because it told the story of the writer's sister who died young. It gives the movie even more special meaning knowing that it's based on a real life situation rather than one that's completely fictitious. Five Stars!

This is one of my favorite all-time movies. It's set in Lousiana. Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Olivia Dukakis, Shirley Maclaine, Dolly Parton, and Darryl Hannah are the main stars of the movie. It starts out as a group of women in a beauty salon getting ready for Julia Roberts' character's wedding. We meet Darryl Hannah's character in the beginning as she comes by looking for work and a place to stay. The story goes over a period of time from Shelby's wedding to the birth of her son and her kidney transplant and her death. At the end of the movie, it shows Darryl Hannah's character heading off to the hospital to have her baby. During the movie, Darry's character went to beauty school, fell in love, got married, and became pregnant. Too bad that a sequel was not made.

Steel Magnolias is a movie about family, love, and relationships. The plot revolves around a beauty parlor where the main characters go to become beautiful. The character of the beauty parlor owner is played by Dolly Parton.

At Truvy's Beauty Parlor in Louisiana we learn all about these close group of friends and soon learn the secrets these women carry in their hearts.

M'Lynn, played by Sally Fields is married to Drum Eatenton, a playful man who at the start of the film is busy shooting birds that are perched on a tree on his property. This drives us all crazy, especially those of us that firmly believe on the protection of the environment... but they have a very special reason as a motive.

Daughter of Drum and M'Lynn Eatenton, Shelby, superbly played by Julia Roberts is getting married and we soon see these women go to visit the beauty parlor in preparation for the big day. Annelle Dupuy Desoto, played by Daryl Hannah, has just joined the staff as a hair dresser, "a glamour technician," and soon the women are hard at finding all about "her past" because even though she is "the sweetest thing" just live through puberty and you must have a past.

Ouiser Boudreaux, a bitter, ill tempered and outspoken lady, played deserving of an award by Shirley MacLaine joins the women and she puts Annelle through a rather fun and entertainment interview.

Clairee, a recently widowed woman, played by Olympia Dukakis is the only person that truly understand Ouiser... and the give and take of these women is so endearing and captivating, that we soon find ourselves enchanted by this movie.

As the movie develops we find ourselves involved in the pain and heartache of the challenges these women face. We cried, we laughed, and we walked away wishing that our town would have the close relationships these families share. Indeed a movie worthy of becoming part of any collection. Don't miss it...

It was a chick movie. It could have been better but I was in Natchitoches so I just had to see the movie.

THIS MOVIE IS A CLASSIC THAT I HAVE SEEN BEFORE, BUT WANTED TO BUY IT.
IT HAS VERY FUNNY SCENES AND SCENES THAT WILL MAKE YOU CRY. IT IS ALL ABOUT WHAT FRIENDS SHOULD BE FOR ONE ANOTHER. AND THE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS THAT RUN THRU EVERYONE'S MIND AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. SALLY FIELDS WAS TRULY A GREAT PARENT, AND FRIEND IN THIS MOVIE, AND HER FRIENDS WERE GREAT IN THEIR SUPPORT. I GIVE THIS MOVIE 5 STARS. ALSO I RECIEVED EXCELLENT SERVICE THUR AMAZON WHEN ORDERING THIS MOVIE.

I remember when this movie hit the theaters. I think I ended up seeing it 20 times. I always said that when my daughter (not if but WHEN) was born I was going to name her Shelby. And I did. One movie that make you laugh, cry, and laugh again in the space of minutes. This will always be a classic and a favorite in my book!

LOVE Shirley McClain and Olympia Dukakis is a RIOT! If you loved Terms of Endearment, this is one for you.

It's funny, it's sad, it has everything that most women can associate with. It is one of my very favorite movies and I've watched it at least 10 times. Shirley McClain is hysterical.

This is a sad movie, after you see it you'll realize life is like this alot of times. It has some good humor, and great acting. you'll appreciate the value of good friends after seeing this movie.

In 2005, we took a weekend trip from Baton Rouge, LA to Natchitoches, LA, where fifteen years earlier the filming of Steel Magnolias in 1989 remains about the biggest thing that ever happened. Having never seen the movie, we rented it as soon as we got back home. Everyone had a reason for watching it in two segments--mine was my sense that this was one of the "cutest" movies I'd ever seen, and I'd had quite enough "cute" lately, especially after sitting through Will Smith in "Hitch". The accents and the caricatures of the characters were all so thick that it reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies, though more embarrassing than funny. One "Hillbillies-like" moment that pretty funny was the few non-female characters' effort to shoot some "crows" out of a tree so that they won't "**** all over the reception". Their creative use of a crossbow is a classic.

Sad to say there isn't much else classic in a story that is at the same time saccharine and maudlin. There was also some choppiness between scenes (as the movie was adapted from a play that never left the beauty shop). I can think of two scenes in particular--one where the town-big wig Clairee (played by the noted-Southern belle Olympia Dukasis) buys the local radio station so that she can do the color commentary on the local football games (the scene features the same guy filmed bare from the back waist-and-lower view as he walks in front camera in the locker room three times.) In another scene, the Darryl Hannah (hard to recognize) committed Christian character argues with her boyfriend over his repeated taking of the Lord's name in vain. Neither scene has any impact on the rest of the story.

Dolly Parton is her usual big hair, big smile, big **** self as the lead hairdresser. Shirley MacLaine has a very unsympathetic character as the Eatonton's (Julie and Sally, and family) ill-tempered neighbor. The male characters are more or less wasted, especially the estimable Sam Shepard, who spends most of the film underneath a car, or sitting lifelessly in front of a TV.

The movie improved from the seemingly endless wedding prep and wedding of the first half to the second half, which became more dramatic. Sally Field has a pretty good scene near the end, she and the story make you think a little about the motives of the main character (Julia Roberts as Shelby).

Overall, I thought that Steel Magnolias was a relatively embarrassing depiction of life in the beautiful town of Natchitoches, LA. Given that the locals seemed not to mind too much, I may be overreacting. They even showed us where the truck made an illegal left turn in the final scene.

I bought this for my daughter as a gift for graduating cosmetology school.... since Dolly Parton plays the ultimate small town cosmetologist. She had never seen it. What an awesome movie and great gift. This is a classic chic flic!

Academy-Award winner Sally Field ("Norma Rae," "Places In The Heart"), singer Dolly Parton (who co-wrote the hit "I Will Always Love You" with Whitney Houston), Daryl Hannah ("Kill Bill," "A Walk To Remember"), Academy-Award winner Shirley Maclaine ("Terms Of Endearment") and a young Julia Roberts (long before her win for Best Actress in "Erin Brockovich") highlight this entertaining film based on a play. I love this film. Rated PG for mild language and some thematic elements.

I don't expect anything more of a movie than to enjoy it and be entertained. I don't seek to psychoanalyze or offer up in-depth critique, it's only a movie. I either enjoy it or I don't. This movie is priceless, MacLaine & Dukakis are exceptional. Field can still make me cry. EVERY time.

This is one of my all time favorite movies, the tape I had was so worn out from watching it I decided to buy the DVD. I would highly recommend it.

Excited. Popped it in the DVD player. Opening sequence, perfect. Scene 2, no audio. Scene 3&4, had audio. Scene 5, no audio. Do not purchase unless you enjoy: closed captioning, lip reading, or returning DVDs to Amazon.

Wonderful and a classic. Those are the words that best describe this star-studded film. Sally Fields, DOlly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts and many more stars. This is a drama but also a comedy and a life-story. It's REAL. At least the story feels real as you watch it unfold. It's a favorite that is popular across the generations. I like it, and so does my mother and her mother! A great Spring movie.

This is definitely one of the finest movies made. It had a little of everything, fun, love and sadness. A must see for any woman.

B+ movie.Rated PG for some language,mature thamatic material involving life and death,and nudity.Canada:PG.Good for ages 9 and up.

Southern Belles are known for their feminine strength along with their very feminine charm. This movie, Julia Roberts' follow up to Pretty Woman, is a brilliant cast of strong leading ladies including the one and only Dolly Parton. Heartbreaking and full of the bonds of female friendship and family, it is a serious tear jerker.